Coordinate Transformation Formula Sheet

Table with the Del operator in rectangular, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates

Operation

Cartesian coordinates (x,y,z)

Cylindrical coordinates
(,,z)

Definition
of
coordinates

= cos x + sin y
= sin x + cos y
Definition
of
unit
vectors

z = z

r = sin cos x + sin sin y + cos z

= cos cos x + cos sin y sin z

r = sin + cos z
= cos sin z

= sin x + cos y

Spherical coordinates (r,, )

A vector field

Gradient

Divergence

Curl

Laplace
operator

Vector
Laplacian

Differential
displacement
Differential
normal area

Differential
volume
Non-trivial calculation rules:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Vector Transformations in Rectangular, Cylindrical, and Spherical Coordinates

From rectangular to cylindrical:

A cos sin 0 Ax
A = sin cos 0 A

y
A 0
A
0
1
z
z
From cylindrical to rectangular:

Ax cos
A = sin
y
A 0
z

sin 0 A

cos 0 A

0
1
A
z

From rectangular to spherical:

Ar sin cos sin sin

A = cos cos cos sin
A sin
cos

cos Ax

sin Ay

0
A
z

From spherical to rectangular:

Ax sin cos cos cos

A = sin sin cos sin
y
A cos
sin
z

sin Ar

cos A
0 A

From cylindrical to spherical:

Ar sin

A = cos
A 0

0 cos A

0 sin A

1
0
A
z

From spherical to cylindrical:

A sin
A = 0

A cos
z

cos
0
sin

0 Ar

1 A
0 A